Meet Daudi, an eight-year-old from Tanzania and the fourth of six children. He likes counting numbers and learning how to read and write.
One day, while playing with his friends, Daudi stepped on white ash, not knowing that there was burning cow dung underneath. He sustained severe burns and was immediately treated locally by the application of fresh cow dung and honey.
“The wounds on Daudi’s feet healed well, but he developed contractures of his toes which have severely affected his gait. He is no longer able to wear shoes,” explains our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation.
Daudi’s parents, who work as small-scale farmers, take care of a few livestock, but their income is not enough to cover the family’s basic needs and pay for treatment. For $550, we can cover the surgery that Daudi needs, which will release the contracted tissues and allow him to walk normally again. If left untreated, his gait will not improve, and as he continues to grow, he will experience pain due to the upward pulling of his toes.
“I want to be able to wear shoes like all the other students when I go to school,” says Daudi.